Switch-operating mechanism.



0.'796,19e. f y PATBNTED AUG.1,1905.,

' H. DIGKINSON.

vSWITCH OPERATING MEGHANISM. APPLICATION FILED DBO. 19,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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` UNITED STATES v"PM ENT oEEIoE.-

HENRY DICKINSON, OEA FLUSHING, NEW YORK;

SWITCH- OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application lel December 19,1904. l Serial No. 237,400.

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY DIoKINsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Flushing, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Switch- Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The object of-this invention is to provide a new and improved switch-operating mechanism, particularly` adapted for use on electricl a perspective viewof a rail and switch with my improved device applied thereto. Fig. 2

. is a plan view of the switch, illustrating the operating connections, this figure being turned oppositely relatively to Fig. l and the remaining figures on Sheet 1 matching with Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a plan view, Fig. 4 a sectional view, and Fig. 5 an end elevation, of the switchthrowing mechanism. Fig. 6 isa plan view, and Fig. 7 a side elevation, of the mechanism mounted on the car; and Fig. 8 is a detail view of the mechanism show n in Fig. 6.

The device can be best understoodv by referring to the figures. f

In detail, A designates a rail, coactin'g with which is a usual pivoted point-switch S. An arm 10-is pivoted at 11 to the web of the rail A, the said pivot 11 coming at about the center of the web, so that the armlO extends both sides of the web. A prolongation l12 of said arm 10 connects to the yswitch S. This prolongation is made out ofspring metal, so that the switch will be held with a spring-pressure to the rail, whereby if a car comes in the reverse direction along the main rail when the switch is close thereto the switch will yield slightly, so that the wheels can pass the same. Carried by the rail which carries the switch,

. a suitable distance in advance of the'same, is

a switch-operating mechanism. This mechanismv is constructed as follows: Bolted to each side of the rail is a bracket 13, secured to the top of which is a guide-plate 14, which has a way 15.. Running on each guide-plate 14 is a Ashoe "164 which has antifriction-rollers 17,

`"which run on said way. The shoes 1 6 at each side of the rail are rights and lefts. Conp nected to the shoes are bell-crank levers 18,

which are pivoted to brackets 19. bolted to.

the sides of the rails. The right-hand bellcrank lever 18, relatively to Fig. 3, vis connected by a rod 2O to the operating-arm l0,

and the left-hand bell-crank is connected by a similar rod 21 to the operating-arm 10. The

rods and 21 extend along and lie on oppo-v site sidesof the web of the rail. Pivoted in each shoe 16 on the opposite side of the guideplate 14 relatively to the antifriction-rollers 17 is a bell-crank lever22. ends of said bell-crank levers are pivoted together, as at 23, and extending down therevfrom isa latch 24, which is adapted to engage the web of the rail at either side thereof, the

web being cut away, as shown in Fig. 4, for` this purpose. The other ends of the bell'- crank levers 22 come in position shown in Fig.

4 to operate, as hereinafter described.

.It will be seen that the mechanism hereinbefore described is allconnected and carried by the rail, whereby boxes or compartments are dispensed with.

Referring now to the mechanism on the car, it will be seen that brackets 25' 25 are secured to the under side of the platform, and jour.

naled in the same is a shaft 26. Fitted von said shaft 26 are sleeves 27` 27, which are connected to turn together by a connection 28. (See Fig. 8.) The shaft and sleeves are also supported by a center bracket 29, in which one of the sleeves is journaled. Secured to the shaft 26 are weighted arms 30 30, which carry at their outer ends cam-operating pieces 31 31, which may be moved down to operative'position to engage the outside of the rail A. I. TheseA cam pieces are secured to the weighted arms by strips of spring metal 32, which strips extend up and are guided in suit` able brackets extending down from the platform, as shown in Fig. 7 By this arrange` lever 34. By this construction when the foot-treadle is depressed the cam-operating piecesy 31 31 are brought down to engagev the outside of the rails, and when the foottreadle is released the said cam-operating Patented Augfl, 19.05. `v

The horizontal A foot-treadle 35 extends down pieces will normally swing up clear of the rails. Arranged on the sleeves 27 27 are similar weighted arms 36, which carry cam-operating pieces 37 37, which are adapted to fit to the inside of the rails, these cam-operating pieces being connected to the weighted arms by pieces of spring metal similar to the pieces 32, previously described. Arranged on one of the sleeves is an arml 38, which connects by a suitable link to a lever 39, which connects with a treadle 40, arranged beside the treadle 35. By depressing the treadle 40 the cam-operating pieces 37 37, which come inside of the rail,will be broughtto operative position. The cam-operating pieces 31 31 and 37 37 have ribs 41, as shown in Fig. l, to engage with the bell-crank levers 22 to operate the locking mechanism for the shoes.

The device works as follows: In Fig. 2 the switch S is shown as set to the rail or to operative position, the shoes then standing, as shown in Fig. 3-that is, the right-hand shoe being closer to the rail than the left-hand shoe. Suppose now that a car comes along up toward the switch. If the motorman wishes to let the car go over onto the switch, the parts are in proper position for this purpose; butsuppose that he wishes to go straight ahead on the rail A. In this event before the car-wheels reach the shoe he depresses the treadle 40. rIhis will throw the camoperating pieces 37 37, which engage the inside of the rails into operative position. The camoperating piece 37 which lies on the rail which the switch engages will now run along and wedge in between the rail and the rightlhand operating-shoe, as shown in Fig. 3. As this action takes place the rib 41 will engage the bell-crank lever 22 in the right-hand shoe, which will lift the latch 24, so that the shoes will be moved to the right, as shown in Fig. 4, which will pull on the rod 2O and push on the rod 21, whereby the switch S will be thrown away from the rail A. It will be seen that the rods 2O and 21 are arranged to move parallel to the rail, whereby the operating-shoes can be arranged at any desired distance in advance of the switch, and special designing is not required for each location. As the shoe moves to the right the latch 24 will move over the web of the rail and will lock the switch in its new or inoperative position. If the switch should be found set in inoperative position to let the car be run along the rail A and if it should be desired to bring the switch into operation, the operator presses the treadle 35, which brings the cam-pieces 31 31 into operation, which work on the outside of the rails, whereby the left-hand shoe will be engaged, the rod 21 pulled, and the rod 2() pushed and the switch thrown into operative position. The two sets of cam operating pieces 31 31 and 37 37 are usedso that the motorman can control a switch, no matter lwith which rail it is arranged. For example,

if a switch is arranged in connection with the other rail from that referred to in Figs. 2 and 3, as shown in Fig. 1, the saine operation will take place, the other cam-piece 31 coming into operation if it is desired to go along the main track or to the right or the other campiece 37 coming into operation it' it is desired to use the switch and go to the left. In other words, all that the motorman has to remember as he approaches the switch is to touch the treadle 35 if he wishes to go to the right or the treadle 40 it' he desires to go to the left, no matter with which rail the switch is arranged. The motorman has to exert very little power, as the wedging of the particular cam-operating piece which comes into operation between 4the rail and the shoe docs the work. It will also be seen that the parts are automatically unlocked and locked as they operate. It also will be seen that the device can be very easily put in position, as all the parts are carried by and secured to the rails.

rIhe details herein shown and described may be greatly varied by a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a switch-operating mechanism the combination of the switch, a shoe carried by the rail, connections arranged to move parallel to the rail from said shoe to the switch, and a cam-operating piece carried by the car for wedging between the rail and shoe to operate the switch. f

2. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination of the switch, shoes carried by the rail at opposite sides thereof, connections arranged to move parallel to the rail from said shoes to the switch, and two cam-operating pieces carried by the car for wedging between the rail and the shoe to operate. the switch.

3. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination of the switch, a shoe carried by the rail, connections therefrom to the switch, a locking mechanism for the shoe, and an operating-piece carried by the car for unlocking the shoe and for wedging in between the saine and the rail to operate the switch.

4. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination of the switch, shoes carried by the rail at opposite sides thereof, connections therefrom to the switch. four operating-pieces and two treadles carried by the car, one treadle being arranged to throw two operatingpieces into position inside of the rails, and the other treadle being arranged to throw two operating-pieces into position outside ot' the rails.

5. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination of the switch, a shoe carried by the rail, connections arranged to move parallel to the rail from the shoe to the switch, and

a cam-operating piece yieldingly carried by the car for wedging betweenV the rail and the shoe to operate the switch.

6. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination of the switch, shoes carried by the rail, connections therefrom to the switch, a shaft and sleeve carried by the car, operating-pieces carried by the shaft and sleeve, a foot-treadle connected to the shaft, and a'foot-` treadle connected to the sleeve.

7. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination of the switch, shoes carried byv the rail, connections therefrom to the switch, a bell-crank lever carried by each shoe, a latch carried by the bell-crank levers, and operating-pieces carried by the car. 8. In a switch-operating mechanism, the` combination of the switch, brackets extending rib to operate the locking mechanism 'and y move the shoe to actuate the switch.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. y

HENRY DICKINSON.

Witnesses:

C. E. BLACK, E. L. BENNETT. 

